French milk doesn't need to be refrigerated. Sketch.

[Mom insert: "sketch" is slang for something dubious or sketchy] 

 

companion study in luxurious comfort

God really loves his children. :) This week we had ten minutes until we had be home, so we quickly went contacting in the park. We saw a young family and my companion made a b-line right for them, and started explaining who we were. But they didn't speak French! They are from Armenia and speak Armenian and Russian. They beckoned over the Father who speaks a little French and we told them who we were. When we asked if he was interested in learning more he misheard "interesse" and though we said "addresse" and then gave us his address! We were completely ok with that, and set up an appointment for a few nights later. Then in between we went to the church and printed off the pamphlets in Armenian. We went to their apartment and had such a sweet simple lesson with them about the restoration and then they told us we could come back. So last night we were leaving for their apartment and stopped and decided to teach the plan of salvation instead of going over the restoration again. We felt like maybe it would be giving too much doctrine at once, but we felt good about it. We showed up at their apartment and they all seemed down and not too inviting. We began speaking with them and the father (Zorab) communicated that his wife's (Knarik) parents back in Armenia had both died that day. My heart broke. I could see all the pain in her eyes and my eyes began to feel with tears as we said how very sorry we were. Then I realized why we had brought the plan of salvation. We pulled out the little pictures of the plan, gave them the armenian pamphlet, and began bearing testimony of life after death and eternal families. They immediately opened up to us and began to become so interested in hearing more about this plan! The spirit was so strong and I could hardly believe that we had just happened to grab that pamphlet on the way out of the door. They then told us they love the bible and Zorab's brother skypes with them and reads it to them every day. We then pulled out an Armenian Book of Mormon and told them that this was like the bible! They were SO excited when we explained it was written by a prophet like Abraham, Moses, and Noah. Zorab is going to read it to his brother over skype. :) This family is AMAZING! I can't believe how much I love them. They are so kind and welcoming to us. They are just so full of light! I know that none of this happened by mere coincidence. I KNOW GOD IS BEHIND THIS WORK! I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!

We made fajitas with home made tortillas! and we didn't have a rolling pin...

so I rolled them out with a cup. :)

I love how optimistic my companion is! We now have this fantastic tradition where every time either of us start to complain...we stop and look and each other and say "Oh man, my life is so hard. My hair is poofy in my beautiful apartment with wood floors in Nancy France next to this big beautiful historic square and the best amis in the world." It helps keep our lives in perspective. :) Because really, what a privilege that these are the things we can complain about. :)



We woke up on the 4th of July and realized we weren't in America and it was actually really sad. Why was nobody celebrating?! So, we drew an American flag and we said the pledge of allegiance and sang the national anthem with our hands over our hearts. We then talked all about how much we love America and how the gospel could not have been restored without this great nation and the freedom of religion! Then God gave us a little miracle. We contacted a French woman who is obsessed with America and just loves it so much. Simple, but it was just nice.

Independence Day! We really missed America. Yes, I drew that flag behind us. It is still hanging on our window. (Don't worry. We changed into more normal clothes after so we didn't offend all the French people)

Porting is the BEST! You never know who is going to open their door to you. And the French are sometimes JUST SO FRENCH! We get people all the time who just open their window and yell "OUI!?" It just cracks me up. Once we had a shirtless old man come to the door and say "Oh, what brings you two beautiful girls to my door today? Marriage?" And we smiled and said "Haha, no. God." This week we ported into a girl named HAPPY. Best day of my life.

"Let's take a picture of us walking around Nancy"

"Stop taking pictures of us!!"

"I'm trying to capture one of us just walking, will you please co-operate!?"

We're not allowed to contact men. Which at first I thought was weird, but now I completely get... because latin men are ridiculous! I have had the weirdest invitations to do very un-sister missionary like things with complete strangers. You make eye contact with them, and they assume you are in love. Which is big trouble for little blonde american girls who like to smile and make eye contact with everyone on the street! Last night some boys told us we were beautiful multiple times as we were walking by. We ignored them and finally one of them yelled "DE RIEN!!" (YOU'RE WELCOME!!) I was trying SO hard not to laugh.

I like to take pictures on the bus, but then my comp makes me laugh and I look like a silly person.

Also my comp has seen the Reluctant Dragon and Galaxy Quest. I think our families are twins. The reluctant dragon came out because one day I saw a picture of a radish next to some salt and said "radish so read, radish so red...I sprinkle some salt on top of your head," and my comp turned to me and said "Oh my gosh, how do you know that??"  Too good.

our lovely little elevator in our apartment building

Well, I LOVE IT HERE!! WE SEE MIRACLES EVERY DAY!

The church is true.

Be a Mormon in everything you do. KNOW IT. LIVE IT. LOVE IT.

Amour, Soeur Autumn Bradley